The present invention relates generally to online financial transactions, and more particularly to systems and methods for effecting person-to-person online financial transactions.
As more and more individuals become connected to the Internet, the number of e-commerce transaction grows proportionately. Currently, typical e-commerce transactions require individuals to submit confidential information such as credit card information or other bank account information over the Internet to effect a transfer of funds. For example, each time an individual purchases a product from a different merchant over the Internet, the individual must typically submit confidential credit card information to the merchant to complete the purchase transaction. The more an individual transmits such confidential information over the Internet the more opportunity there is for that information to be compromised.
Additionally, it is often difficult for individuals to effect monetary transactions without ultimately having a check sent from the payor to the payee; credit card transactions are not widely available for individuals. For example, in the context of an auction where one individual wins a bid to purchase an item from another individual, the purchaser must usually send a check to the seller. Such transactions are generally undesirable as postage is necessary to send the check, and processing of the check is required. This generally results in an undesirable increase in the amount of time and effort required to complete the transaction.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide systems and methods for effecting online financial transaction between individuals or between individuals and merchants without the need for sending and cashing checks or transmitting confidential information.